1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communications control system, a communications control method, a service control station and a communications control station for controlling communications conducted between a first communications apparatus for transmitting data and a second communications apparatus for receiving the data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Communications systems represented by mobile communications networks and PHS networks generally have an advantage in their capability to provide users with information at any time. Transmission of information from a first user to a second user is usually performed as described below. The first user transmits data from communications apparatus. The data is received by the communications apparatus of second user. The second user can know the contents of the data through his communications apparatus. In this description, the first user is hereinafter referred to as a transmitting end user and the communications apparatus of the first user is referred to as a “first communications apparatus”. Also in the description, the second user is referred to as a “receiving end user” and the communications apparatus of the second user is referred to as a “second communications apparatus”.
In order for the transmitting end user to know the actual status of the receiving end user (e.g., in meeting or away from the office), the first communications apparatus of the transmitting end user is required to carry out communications with the second communications apparatus of the receiving end user.
Until the communications are conducted, the transmitting end user cannot thus know the status of the receiving end user. The communication from the first communications apparatus to the second communications apparatus may be undesirable to the receiving end user.
In this context, a presence service has been conventionally provided in computer networks including information processing devices (e.g., personal computers). In a communications system using the presence service, a terminal device of a user provides presence information about the user to a terminal device of another user. The presence information shows the current status of the user. Specifically, the presence information includes information showing that the user is currently in meeting and information showing that the user is at lunch. The presence service is currently provided in communications systems using the Internet.
The use of such presence information allows the “transmitting end user” to know the current status of the “receiving end user”. Communications allowing for the current status of the “receiving end user” are thus conducted between the first communications apparatus of the “transmitting end user” and the second communications apparatus of the “receiving end user”.
The conventional communication systems, however, have problems as described below. A communications method supposed by the “transmitting end user” to allow for the current status of the “receiving end user” can be inconvenient for the “receiving end user”. In this case, the “receiving end user” may want to specify the method of communications between the communications apparatus of the “transmitting end user” and the communications apparatus of the “receiving end user” in accordance with his (the receiving end users) current status.
In the conventional communications system, however, the “receiving end user” cannot specify the communications method at will based on his current status (presence information). Conventionally, the “receiving end user” can specify only information with no relation to his current status (specify a telephone answering service, for example).
Further, the development of a communications system in which a “transmitting end user” can, upon obtaining a plurality of communications methods desired by a “receiving end user”, select a communications method that is convenient for the “transmitting end user” from among the plurality of communications methods, is desired. This communications system is convenient for the “transmitting end user”. A method of implementing the presence service using mobile communications in 3GPP (http://www.3gpp.org/) and/or in IETF (http://www.ietf.org/), is currently being discussed. However, a method of controlling communications according to presence information has not yet been developed.
Development of a system in which a “receiving end user” can specify a communications methods convenient for the “receiving end user” and a “transmitting end user” can select a given communications method from among the communications methods has thus conventionally been desired. The development of a system in which the given communications method can be implemented between a first communications apparatus of the “transmitting end user” and a second communications apparatus of the “receiving end user” has also been desired.
In summary, the development of a system in which a communications method taking account of conveniences for a “receiving end user” and a “transmitting end user” can be implemented between a first communications apparatus of the “transmitting end user” and a second communications apparatus of the “receiving end user” has conventionally been desired.